Scarring Revenge
by Astra H. Lowelle
Summary: Taka has finally had enough of all the teasing- and this will be his very last revenge. Two-shot (plus epilogue).
1. Taka

"Hey, Taka!"

There they were, at it again.

_"Taka!"_

When would they let up?

"Taka!"

A clever move, really, insulting him like that. Using his own name.

"Ohhh, _Ta_ka!"

It wasn't like he could tell on them, either. _Benshi and Malli were only saying his name, after all, son. Don't worry about it._

So saith his wise and fair father who'd given him the name in the first place, bless him.

"Taka-Taka-Taka-Taka!"

Oh, how he wanted to _hurt_ those two smug snot-nosed lions. They were only a month older than he was, and besides, he was a _prince._

Why should he have to take this garbage?

"Taa_aaaaa_-ka!"

Speaking of garbage.

Ohhh, how he wanted to hurt those two. Why couldn't he be allowed to drink at the watering hole in peace for once?

"Hey, Taka-Tak!"

And butchering his name, too.

"It's only two syllables," he said as pleasantly as he could, without lifting his head. "Is the pronunciation a wee bit too much for you?"

"Okay..." Malli grinned. "How 'bout Scarface?"

Benshi burst out laughing. "Oooh! Scarface! That's a _good _one! Except it's not totally healed yet... I remember when you came back to Pride Rock last week! Sheesh! I'm surprised you can keep that eye open!"

_I will make you say that name. I will make you hurt. You will hurt so much by the time I have done with you._

"Taaaaa-ka, you gone deaf or something?"

He looked up.

"No."

"Huh! I thought maybe that scar got your brains, not just your eye." Idiotic laughter.

He bent down for another drink, then stalked away from the watering hole to the derisive laughs of the two.

_I will make them hurt._

-.-

"Hi, Benshi," Mita greeted as her brother sat down beside her for a delectable supper of dead zebra. "Had a good day?"

"Yeah," Benshi guffawed. "Me and Malli had it out with Taka today at the watering hole. Sheesh! What a baby! And with a dumb scar too! Some prince he is."

"Funny you should mention Taka," Mita said thoughtfully. "He asked me to give you a message, earlier. I almost forgot."

"Really?" Benshi looked up from a mouthful of zebra. "What did he want?"

"He asked me to tell you that he wants to talk to you later tonight," Mita recalled. "You and Malli. By that little cave right on the edge of the Pridelands. He looked kinda scared."

"Of course he did," Benshi grinned, swallowing. "Baby. Yeah, I'll go, just to teach him a lesson. He can't just go summoning me all over the place whenever he wants."

-.-

"Hey, Benshi, that you?"

"Yeah. Who else would it be?"

"So where does Taka-waka wanna meet us?"

"My sister said by the little cave."

"_That_ spooky place? Didn't think Taka was brave enough to go there."

"He probably chickened out."

"Yeah. Uh... are you sure he said _there?_ At the cave?"

"Don't tell me _you're_ getting scared, too."

"I am _not _scared!"

-.-

Hidden deep in the recess of said cave, a pair of bright green eyes gleamed with anticipation. There was no fear on the prince's shadowy face, only a look of expectancy far too cruel to grace a face so young.

_Ohhhh yes, this would be delicious._


	2. Scarface

"…go ahead," he said softly. "Say it again."

"Sc-c-carfaaaaace," Malli sobbed. "Please… let us go…"

The prince placed a paw on Benshi's chest, not bothering to retract his claws. "Oh, dear…"

His voice fairly dripped with chilled honey. "I nearly forgot. You have trouble with those pesky two-syllable words. Let's shorten it down to Scar, shall we? Say it."

Benshi was whimpering so badly he could barely manage to get a sound out.

"Say it, Benshi. Say my name. You know what happens if you disobey me- and that was only a little taste. An appetizer, if you will…"

"Scar," the quivering lion squeaked. "Scar. Scar."

The bright green eyes gleamed. "There now, not too hard, was it?"

"N-no," Benshi whispered.

"No…?"

"No, P- P- Prince."

"No, prince…?"

"YourRoyalMightyGreatMajesticStrongPowerfulPrinceScar_pleaseletusgo!_"

The newly titled prince grinned. "That's better. And you won't forget the little- ah- lesson I taught you both right after you came in here?"

That set both lions off again, blubbering and wailing so loudly that the object of their fear was glad he'd chosen to conduct this meeting out of hearing range of those on Pride Rock.

"That's enough."

A soft, dry sob; a whimper; then silence.

"Now... why don't you two wish your prince a good night and run off to bed like the good, loyal subjects to the Crown you are?"

It felt good to have those two frantically licking his footpaws. Sticky, yes, and he would definitely have to wash later, but _good_.

.~.~.

Scar stayed in the cave to watch the two run off.

_Scar._

Indeed a fitting name. Good for a hiss.

He waited until Benshi and Malli were out of sight before padding silently out of the cave to return to Pride Rock.

.~.~.

Father, Mother, and Mufasa were all asleep by the time he got back. Father was snoring. Mufasa stirred a little as Scar lay down beside him.

"...Taka?" he mumbled.

"Shhhh, brother," the younger lion soothed, in gentle irony. "Taka is dead. Go back to sleep."

Amazingly, the big lump did.

Scar smiled with something approaching affection as he closed his eyes, almost relishing the dull twinge of pain in his eye.

_Taka is dead._

And far as Scar was concerned, he would not be missed.


	3. Scar

"'Morning, Taka," Mufasa yawned as he stretched the next morning, shaking his head to clear away the last vestiges of sleep. "How is your eye?"

"Just fine," Scar said absently. He was anxious to get to the watering hole.

"I had the strangest dream last night," Mufasa remarked as he and his brother stepped out onto the bright sunshine. "You were standing over me, and telling me that you had died and that I should go back to sleep. Can you imagine that?"

"Oh, indeed, no." Scar was much more sarcastic than Taka was.

Animals were converging at the watering hole when the two princes reached it. Mufasa spotted Sarabi and went over to join her, while Scar allowed his eyes to rove lazily around the assembled creatures, searching for- where _were_ they?-

_Ah._

They saw him a moment after he saw them.

"Hello, Benshi, Malli," Scar said pleasantly, smiling as he approached the two lions. "You look tired. Didn't you sleep well last night?"

Malli edged closer to Benshi. Benshi's eyes flickered to the right, to the left.

"No?" Taka wouldn't have been able to sound so concerned. "My, my, how perfectly awful. You two look almost dead on your feet."

Benshi whimpered faintly. Scar patted his paw.

"There, there. Both of you drink up now. And maybe try and have a nap later… oh, and pleasant dreams."

The young prince winked, making sure to use his damaged eye, and sauntered off.

Taka's stride was never this bold.

But enough reminiscing. Taka was dead.

And Scar had important work to do.


End file.
